The Center for Movement Challenges in Sandy Springs, Georgia, has truly become a source of solace for those grappling with those Georgian grappling with Parkinson’s.
“Moments Of Normalcy”
“There are moments of normalcy out here, which is nice. It is a big relief. Sometimes it is a hard burden carrying this disease, but you just keep fighting,” Dedicated pickler Rick Tuley told Sawyer Buccy at Atlanta News First.
“The group is extremely athletic and most of the time you would never know we have Parkinson’s,” observed Ellen Bookman a member of the NO LIMITS Pickleball Challenge.
“I soon realized that there were a lot of people journeying through something similar to what I was,” added pickleball player Kim Faison.
A Healing Touch
The camaraderie fostered through pickleball, it turns out, has a healing touch.
Parkinson’s is a relentless ailment, permeating various facets of one’s life; facets seemingly absent once on the pickleball court.
Here, individuals discover companionship and a means to reclaim some semblance of control. The effort expended out there on the court constitutes yet another instance where Parkinson’s vice-like grip is momentarily loosened.
“A lot of it has to do with the community, bringing people together, that sense of normalcy that they don’t get in their normal life, having people who can relate to what they are going through,” articulated Troy Lyons-Lee from the Center for Movement Challenges.
A Close-Knit Crew
Members of the center have formed a close-knit pickleball crew, finding respite in a game that momentarily eclipses their diagnosis.
“We pictured ourselves going out there and falling all over the court, but it has been great. It has been a good confidence builder for me and I think for all of us.”
The group pursued a grant through the ALTA Foundation, the charitable arm of ALTA, the preeminent volunteer tennis organization in the United States. The foundation’s mission is to bolster underserved communities.
“It is just amazing. These are amazing people and amazing athletes and to be able to help them get out of their houses and participate in healthy activities just warms our hearts,” expressed Rita Maloof with the ALTA Foundation.
More Than A Game
This financial support enabled them to orchestrate two clinics, extending an invitation to Georgians eager to engage with the center and its pickleball team for the first time.
“You are so focused on what you are doing, it is hard to focus on anything around you. You feel, mainly joy. It is just fun,” shared Kim.
As Buccy reports, for this group, it transcends beyond a mere game; it is perspiration that allows them to clutch onto their independence.
“Ultimately, what we are trying to do is slow the progression of the disease. Science shows that physical activity, specifically vigorous activity, slows the progression of Parkinson’s disease,” elucidated Troy.
“Things like boxing and pickleball, they help so much with focus, hand-eye coordination, balance.”
